"That's enough for today."
Ethan stumbled forward as the pressure relented, his arms slackening slightly, muscles aching from holding form too long. He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist and gave a tired exhale.
Astron emerged a moment later, more composed, but even his normally calm breathing held a slight hitch. His footsteps were slower, deliberate, and for once, visibly strained.
Eleanor stepped forward, hands still behind her back as her eyes swept over both of them.
"This type of training," she said, her voice steady, "is not sustainable over long periods. If you overexpose your mana veins to amplified feedback without proper pacing, you'll destabilize your internal cycles."
Ethan nodded absently, still catching his breath. "Yeah, no argument here."
Astron gave a single nod as well, saying nothing—but Eleanor could see the fine tension still in his fingers. He had been pushing. Quietly. Carefully. Just enough.
